To kill a mockingbird

When Scout asks Atticus if they are going to win the trial, he tells her they will loose. Racism and bigotry is too ingrained into the consciousness of white Maycomb. Atticus however is clear that they still must do the right thing and fight for truth and support an innocent man,

"Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win."

This trial will put much stress on the family and Atticus has much to loose in a town where racism is the norm. When Scout asks Atticus why he is willing to risk so much to defend Tom Robinson Atticus poignantly says,

"For a number of reasons. The main one is, if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature, I couldn't even tell Jem not to do something again" (83).